


it beats for you

by lost_inclarity



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Canon Related, F/F, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-03
Updated: 2016-03-03
Packaged: 2018-05-24 11:38:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6152458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_inclarity/pseuds/lost_inclarity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>canon verse; post fight scene between the Commander and Roan where Clarke walks in on Lexa trapped in the middle of taking off her shirt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	it beats for you

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by killthegiant's post on tumblr. 
> 
> you can find me on tumblr @gaygasps.

 

Still breathless from the fight, Clarke follows nothing but her instinct and hurries up the tower at an inhuman speed, giving herself no time to process what has just happened. All she can see are flashes of Lexa being knocked down, Lexa bleeding, _Lexa_. **  
**

The guards remain expressionless when Clarke shoots past them, striking the door to Lexa’s throne room wide open with both her hands and with a wild look etched across her face.

She doesn’t know what she is expecting when she strides into the room. The commander meeting her ambassadors as if nothing has happened? The commander dictating the punishments of Nia’s followers? Clarke’s heart pounds against the cage of her chest. Lexa, concealing her injuries once again, in the face of her responsibilities?

A bitter pain swells up her throat at the thought of the weight they both bear, in solitude and silence.

But instead, she is met with Titus’ disapproving gaze.

“Where is Lexa?” Her voice comes out surprisingly strong with the way her lungs are collapsing from the commander’s absence.

Despite of condemning looks Titus gives her, she knows they are equally overwhelmed by the relief from Lexa’s victory. “Heda is resting in her room,” Titus answers weakly. It is too late, he now understands, Clarke will be both the rise and fall of the best leader he has ever served.

Almost no time has passed when Clarke arrives at the door of Lexa’s bedroom, breathless once again. She stops to take a moment for herself, to regain her composure. _Lexa is alive_. Clarke swallows, more than just the lump in her throat. She swallows the relief burning in her chest, she swallows a love she should not accept.

A love she should not indulge.

Her chest heaves from another deep breath but as she raises a loose fist to knock, a whimper from the other end of the door snatches the air away.

“Lexa?” She calls out, fear quivering in her voice as she pictures her lov- no, the commander, in pain.

“One moment, Clarke.” Lexa’s muffled voice drifts over to her after a few seconds. It is merely a few seconds, but those seconds feel like an eternity as Clarke strains to hear pass the door separating them.

_Okay, more than a moment has passed, what the hell._ Clarke’s existing frown grows deeper and her feelings overpower her patience. She takes another quick breath before pushing the door open.

“Lexa?” She calls out again as she steps into the room painted blood red from the sunset seeping through the curtains.

The sight she is greeted with stops her in her tracks, curling her lips into a smile that almost breaks into a laugh.

“Maybe you should just stick with a simple t-shirt.” The way Lexa’s arms are entangled in her sleeves, trapped above her head and lifting her shirt up over her bare chest, makes it hard for Clarke to ignore the way her ribs relax just a little.

Just a little, until she notices the dark, purple bruise stamped in the center of Lexa’s chest.

Suddenly, every ounce of worry, pain, care, relief, _everything_ , explodes from the cage within her heart. _Everything_ washes over Clarke, drowning her, and suddenly, she feels again. She feels everything before the mountain numbed her, before the mountain broke her.

“Mind if I take a look?” Clarke notices the bandages lying around Lexa’s bed when she forces herself to tear her eyes away from the single soul who can make her feel again.

Even with her head caught in her shirt, face flushed but completely covered, Lexa’s nod can be seen clearly.

Clarke, after all, is a healer.

Hesitantly, Clarke strides over to Lexa and her heart finally slows into a steady rhythm, into what she imagines peace must feel like.

With one easy and careful tug, Clarke undoes the knot of sleeves, arms, and hair. As the shirt drapes back down, it is stopped by Clarke’s arm. She reaches to brush her fingertips over the bruise, heart aching for Lexa’s suffering and eyes locking onto the evergreen ones as her hand lingers over Lexa’s chest.

She has always known those evergreen eyes can see right through her, that they are the reason storms stir in her heart.

Her voice cracks slightly when Lexa’s silent and unwavering gaze sets her free. “I thought I was going to lose you.” Clarke mutters, casting her eyes down a second later.

“Not again.” She can feel Lexa’s warm breath ghosting over her lips when the other shifts to face her properly. “Not like this, Clarke.”

Panic hits Clarke mercilessly and her eyes flicker up to give Lexa a chastising glare. “You seriously need to stop with all this talk about death.” She attempts to scold jokingly when Lexa offers her a small smile. But instead, her voice breaks as she chokes on what might be a tear.

This time when their eyes meet again, neither of them fights the gravity pulling them into one another. Clarke finally lets herself truly feel again and it is astounding, the way Lexa releases her from her pain.

The way their love frees her.

This realization crashes into Clarke in a heartbeat, causing her to drop her gaze in shock. _No, this can’t be it. We can’t be._

Lexa is the commander, and she will always be.

But maybe someday, they will be free to love each other. Clarke hopes anyway, because she finally has hope for the first time in a very long time.

Silence envelopes them as Lexa’s gaze sinks into Clarke’s silhouette and time seems to still for a moment before their hands meet over the bruise.

“You worry for no reason.” Lexa wraps her fingers softly around Clarke’s hand and guides it to her heart, gently but firmly pressing it against her. “My heart is still beating, Clarke.”

_For you._

“It will beat as long as _our_ people need me.” Lexa adds quietly and squeezes Clarke’s hand lightly, reminding her of her fealty.

Little does she know, Clarke’s heart shatters at the reminder. _I need you_ , Clarke’s hand trembles over Lexa’s heart.

_I need you._


End file.
